Hen&#39;s nest



Aug. 16, 1932.

Original Filed Sept. 14. 1928 D. RENS HEN S NEST 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor vAttorngy Aug. 16, 1932. RENS 1,872,608

HEN S NEST Original Filed Sept. 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q I flat/7126710,

By QM Mm Amrn y Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE DICK anus, or WAUPUN, WISCONSIN HENS NEST Refiled Ior abandonedapplication Serial No. 305,922, filed September 14, 1928. This application filed February 27, 1932.

The present invention relates to improvements in hens nests and has for its principal object to provide means for automatically closing the entrance to the nest box, when the nest therein is occupied by a hen, the closure for the entrance and exit being adapted to automatically move to an inoperative position when the hen steps out of the'nest, so that said hen may leave the nest box.

A further and important object is to provide a hens nest of the above mentioned character, that includes a guard for disposition over the forward edge of the nest, so that the hen when leaving the nest will be prevented from stepping on the'forward edge of the nest and preventing the .movement of the door to its normal inoperative position. This guard also prevents swinging movement of the nest.

Still a further object is to provide a hens nest of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable, and further well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the nature of the inventionproceeds and when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation ofa pair of hens nests constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the member for converting the nest into a trap nest, in one instance, disposed in an operative position and in another instance disposed in an inoperative position.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the normal position of the sliding closurev and the nest.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the position of the closure and the nest when the latter is occupied.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the nest boxlooking downwardly upon the nest and the actuating means for the sliding closure.

Serial No. 595,602.

'means for the sliding closure, and

Figure 6 is a detail illustrating the connection between the inner end of each lever and the respective side of the nest.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates generally the, box that is attached to a suitable support by means of the attaching brackets 2. The box includesthe side walls 3, the front 4 and the inclined top 5, as well as a bottom 6. V

The top 5 is provided with an opening 7 to permit access to the nest box from the top, and a hinged closure 8 is provided for the opening. The bottom 6 is cut away for the major portion thereof so as to provide what I term as a platform only in the front portion of the box. The front wall 4 of the box is provided with an entrance and exit opening 9, and as is clearly shown in Figure 1, the side edges of the front'wall terminate inwardly of the respective side walls 3 to provide vertical slots 10, the purpose of which will be presently described. I

A pair of elongated levers 11 are pivotally secured adjacent their inner ends to the inner faces of the respective side walls 3 around the box 1 as at 12, the outer ends of these levers projecting through the respective slots 10 and being adapted for vertical movement therein. A cross rod 13 connects the outer ends of these levers together and a door 14 is suspended from this cross rod to provide a closure for the entrance and exit opening 9.

This door 14 is operable between the front face of the front wall 4 and a suitable guide bail 15 of U-shaped formation, the ends thereof being driven into the forward edges of the respective side walls adjacent the bottom of'the box and the purpose of this bail is to prevent. outward swinging movement'of the door when the latter is in its raised operative position. The door 14 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 16 arranged in the centralportion thereof and operable within this slot is the headed pin 17 that is driven into the lower edge portion of the front wall 4. I Normally the door is disposed in its lowered inoperative position, with the pin 17 engaging with the uppermost end of the slot 16 as suggested very clearly in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The manner in which the door operates to close the entrance and exit openings Wlll be presently described in detail.

The invention further comprehends the provision of a substantially rectangular shaped nest 18, the bottombei more clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. This nest is adapted for vertical sliding movement the particular manner in which these elements l9 secure the nest to the inner ends of the respective members is clearly shown in Figures 2, 3, and f the drawings. The lower ends of these straps or links are rigidly secured to the respective sides of the nest, while the uper ends of these elements are pivot-ally connected to the inner ends of the respective levers.

A substantially inverted U-shaped guard 20 is disposed over the forward upper edge portion of the nest and a laterally disposed flange 21 is formed on the lower edge of the front side of this guard for attaching the guard to the platform 6. This guard also prevents the swinging movement of the nest.

The invention also includes the provision of means for converting the nest into a trap nest, and to this end there "isfpivotally secured on the front face of the door 14 a plate 22, the same being pivoted atits upper end as at 23, while the lower endof this plate is'formed with a hook 24 which is normally disposed in an inoperative position by means of a removable pin 25 that extends through registering openings door 14. Furthermore, the plate 22is formed along its inner side edge'with a cam face 26, and when the pin 25 is used, the cam face is out of the path of movement of the pin 17 as clearly indicated in the left hand portion of Figure 1.

When the pin 25 is removed, the weight of the plate 22 will cause the same to assume the position shown in the right hand portion of Figure 1, so that a portion of the plate will extend across the slot 16 and in the path of movement of the pin 17 and the manner in which this plate cooperates to con- .vert the hens nest into a trap nest will be hereinafter specifically described.

When the plates 22are secured'in an inin operative position and the parts are arranged as shown in Figure 2, it will be observed that the door 14 will normally be disposed downwardly and the nest 18 upwardly. The nest box is thus in an open position and when a hen enters through the opening 9 and occupies the nest 18, the weight ngrounded, as

formed in the plate 522 and the.

of the hen will overbalance the door 14, causing the levers 11 to swing upwardly, whereupon to move the door 14 upwardly to close the opening 9, in the manner as suggested very clearly in Figure 3.

Thus, only one hen can occupy the nest at a time. As soon as the hen steps out of the nest 18, onto the platform 6, the door 14, will by gravity move downwardly to its normal inoperative position, simultaneously uncovering the entrance and exit opening 9 .and returning the nest 18 to its raised position. The guard 20 will prevent the hen from stepping'on the forward. edge of the nest and the hen is then free to leave the box through the opening 9.

In converting the hens nest into a trap nest, as heretofore explained, the pin 25 is removed and consequently the plate 22 will assume the position shown in the right hand portion of Figure 1, and obviously when the door 14 moves upwardly the cam surface 26 being within the path of the pin 17 will swing the cam plate outwardly, or in a lateral direction with respect to the pin, until said pin is below the hoolred p'ortion of the plate and then the hook 24 will rest on the upper edge of the pin to prevent downward movement of the door, thus entrapping the hen in the nest and permitting the attendant to determine or keep a record of the laying of the hens that use the nest.

The eggs may be removed from the nest by swinging the closure 8 upwardly, and

in order to release the entrapped hen, the

attendant must necessarily move the cam plate 22 out of engagement with the pin 17.

' A hens nest of the above mentioned character can be constructed at a very low cost,

and the same will at all times be ellici'ent and reliable in its operation. I

Furthermore, the parts are so constructed as to permit the same to be assembled or disassembled and furthermore the nest may be kept clean in an easy manner.

While I have shown the preferred embodi- -ment of the invention, it is to be understood .wall thereof, the bottom of the box being open, a platform arranged in the forward portion of the open bottom of the box, a vertically sliding closure for the opening in the front wall that is normally disposed in a lowered inoperative position, a vertically movable nest arranged for movement through the open bottom of the box, means for operatively connecting the nest with the closure for moving the latter to a raised operativeposition over the opening in the front wall of the box when the nest is occupied, said means including levers pivoted to the inner side of the box with their long arms attached to said closure and their short arms pivotally connected with said neck, and an inverted U-shaped guard attached along its forward edge to the rear edge of the platform and extending over the upper edge of the nest for preventing lateral swinging movement thereof.

2. In a hens nest, a box provided with an entrance and exit opening in the front wall thereof, a vertically sliding, closure therefor normally disposed in a. lowered inoperative position, a vertically movable nest arranged within the box, means for operatively connecting the nest with the closure to effect the upward movement of the closure to an operative position over the openings in the front wall of the box when the nest is occupied, said closure being formed with a longitudinal slot, a-headed .pin extending from the front wall of the box through the slot,

a pivoted cam hook carried by the closure and adapted to extend across the slot within the path of the pin, said cam hook cooperating with the pin to maintain the closure in a raised operative position to entrap the hen in the nest, and a removable pin extendingthrough the pivoted cam hook and the closure for securing said hook in an inoperative position out of the path of movement of said headed pin.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DICK RENS. 

